to persuade or manipulate someone to do something by using gentle persuasion or flattery
example
She tried to coax her shy dog out from under the bed with some treats.
synonyms
persuadeenticecajole
word origin — The word 'coax' comes from the late 16th century, derived from the obsolete word 'coaxen', which is of uncertain origin, possibly from the Middle English 'coc' meaning 'to comfort'.
TOEFL Vocabulary — Set 39
Set 39 of TOEFL Vocabulary covers 5 words: coax, depict, accumulate, belittle, endow. Each entry below includes its definition, an example sentence, and synonyms — practice them with the interactive cards above.
coax · verb/koʊks/
to persuade or manipulate someone to do something by using gentle persuasion or flattery
She tried to coax her shy dog out from under the bed with some treats.
Synonyms: persuade, entice, cajole
Origin: The word 'coax' comes from the late 16th century, derived from the obsolete word 'coaxen', which is of uncertain origin, possibly from the Middle English 'coc' meaning 'to comfort'.
depict · verb/dɪˈpɪkt/
to represent or illustrate something through art, words, or other means
The artist chose to depict the beauty of nature in her landscape paintings.
Synonyms: illustrate, portray, represent
Origin: from Latin 'depicere' which means 'to represent, to describe', from 'de-' (down) + 'picere' (to catch, to represent)
accumulate · verb/əˈkjʊ.mjəˌleɪt/
to gather or collect over a period of time
Over the years, she managed to accumulate a vast collection of rare stamps.
Synonyms: amass, collect, gather
Origin: The word 'accumulate' comes from the Latin 'accumulare', meaning 'to heap up', formed from 'ad-' (to) + 'cumulare' (to pile up).
belittle · verb/bɪˈlɪt̬.əl/
to make someone or something seem less impressive or important
She didn't appreciate how her colleagues would often belittle her contributions during meetings.
Synonyms: diminish, denigrate, disparage
Origin: The word 'belittle' is derived from the prefix 'be-' meaning 'to make' and 'little', which indicates 'to make small' or 'to decrease in importance.' It came into use in the late 19th century.
endow · verb/ɪnˈdaʊ/
to provide with a quality, ability, or asset
The scholarship was designed to endow students with the skills necessary for success in their chosen fields.
Synonyms: confer, bestow, grant
Origin: Middle English, from Old French 'endouer', from 'en-' + 'doue' (to provide), derived from Latin 'donare' (to give)